


You Can Tell Me

by Schmuzz



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: 5+1 Things, Cat/Human Hybrids, First Meetings, Fluff, Hybrids, M/M, Myan Week 2018, but that's definitely not the point of this fic it's pretty light, easy breezy beautiful hybrid fic, there's some mention of people being suspicious or prejudiced towards hybrid people
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-16
Updated: 2018-09-06
Packaged: 2019-06-28 02:24:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15698205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Schmuzz/pseuds/Schmuzz
Summary: Ryan's never dated a hybrid before Michael. Not that it matters, really - despite what some people would like everyone else to think, there weren't any differences, beside some physical ones. That's what Ryan figured, at least. Until he realized that Michael being part cat gave him a pretty obvious tell. He could purr.5 times Michael purred because he was happy + 1 time he didn't.





	1. Did You Feel That?

**Author's Note:**

> I've never written hybrid au before (I don't think I've ever read any either, tbh?) but I Tried My Best. I hope it's something cute for everyone involved!

Ryan had never dated a hybrid, before Michael. They weren’t  _ rare _ , but most preferred cities, even those hybrids most related to jungles or farms. It felt safer, for a lot of them. Ryan could understand the logic; when he was younger, he had recalled being the type that stared at the rare hybrid passing through the small town of his childhood. 

When he moved to Austin years later, hybrids probably outnumbered their 100% human counterparts, and the novelty faded soon enough. 

It wasn't that surprising that he ran into Michael in Austin, then. 

Ryan first saw him at a favorite place of his called Rockit's. It was an amazing, independently owned comic book store that was the midpoint between his house and work. Some days he’d drop by instead of heading straight home. He had become enough of a regular that the found and owner, Geoff, knew him by name. And usually made fun of him for making a beeline to all the ‘imported nerd stuff’, as Geoff had dubbed the corner of the store dedicated to manga, anime, and its corresponding merchandise. 

“Look, every twenty issues a comic series reboots, or the main cast dies, but they’re still alive in all the other offshoots, and since the MCU and DCEU took off -”

“One of them took off,” Geoff grumbled.

“-it just adds a whole other layer of context and storylines and plot holes. I gave up following that when I was in college.”

“Because series that run for a decade are clearly superior.” Geoff’s sarcasm was palpable. “You’ll never get tired of them.” 

“Excuse me,” another man came up, dropping a few DVD cases on the counter. “Do you mind if I check out now?”

“Yeah, Ryan never buys anything. Just reads my products for an hour.”

“I’m _perusing_.” 

“Whatever.” Geoff started to ring up the other man. Ryan was close enough that his eyes scanned the titles. Just the usual superhero stuff, really. And -

“The Digimon movie?” Ryan asked, tilting his head.

“I, uh, moved here recently. Couldn’t take a lot of shit with me, so I’m just buying it over. I like having a collection - only the movies I really like, at least.”

“And you picked a Pokemon knockoff,” Geoff not-so-helpfully added.

“No way, Digimon is a classic,” Ryan said. 

“Yeah! What he said.” Geoff mumbled something cryptic while the other man handed over a card to pay. He was smaller, slender build. He was just standing there in a beanie and graphic t-shirt, but something in his posture was inherently graceful. Even his eyes seemed to light up when he looked over at Ryan, and offered him a smile as he walked out the door.

 

-

 

That wasn’t the last time he saw the guy. If he had found Geoff’s comic book store, that meant he probably lived close by. Which was also probably why he kept seeing him - jogging in the park, ordering coffee at the Starbucks down the street, even getting groceries one Sunday night at a corner store - carton of icecream and lactaid pills, which was an impressively ironic combination in Ryan's mind. 

Maybe he could have come over and said hi instead of staring at the now familiar frame of the stranger while he did errands around the neighborhood, but. Ryan was used to city life by now; also he was kind of an introvert. He never wanted to bother someone with needless conversation.What would they even talk about? It would just be an awkward mess _._

Until, the fifth time he had seen the new guy around, he recalled how lonely _he_ had been when he first moved to Austin. No family, no friends. A lot of quiet nights in for a long,  _long_ time until he finally found people he could surround himself with. So - maybe a few idle conversations wouldn't hurt.

He finally got a prolonged meeting with the stranger at a bar, of all things. It had been a Friday-night-work-happy-hour-thing. Ryan didn’t drink, but he did actually like most of his coworkers, so he stuck around. When he saw a familiar face leaning on the wood of the bar, drink in his hand, Ryan was still feeling chatty enough to go over and finally say hello.

“Hey stranger.” Said stranger smiled at him.

“Hey yourself. Having fun?”

“I was on my way out, actually, came here with some work people. What about you?” The other man blinked.

“Uh, someone I work with said this place has pretty good wings and beer, so. Here I am.” 

“They’re giving you a tour?” Ryan looked around, but no one else was looking at them.

“Oh, no. I just - decided to come out myself. I’m kind of used to it. I mean, you’ve seen me, I’m always by myself.” 

Ryan felt a wave of guilt crash in his gut. “You like it that way?”

The other shrugged. “Still working on the friend thing, at the moment. I don’t want to stay inside just because I have to sit by myself sometimes.” Ryan nodded, definitely sheepish. The new guy had seen Ryan around and remembered him. Maybe the other man had been waiting for him - or someone, _anyone_ \- to introduce themselves and make small talk for a while now.

Ryan took a breath. “Well, uh, you can say no, since we don’t know each other, like, at all, but I don’t mind sharing some wings with you. I’m sure we can find something in common. Or just talk about Digimon for forty minutes.” 

“Michael,” the other man said, inclining his head slightly. “My name’s Michael. And I’m down for sharing some wings.”

“I’m Ryan. Uh - let me find us a table.”

Michael smiled at him and stuck out his hand. Ryan shook it before going off to find a seat and some menus. He frowned, staring at his hand as he walked away. It had been like the bass in the speakers had suddenly boosted, the music carrying from Michael's palm to his own. But it had gone as quickly as it came. 

Whatever. He had more important things to worry about. Like what the hell to talk about with - Michael. 


	2. Car Trouble

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back with another update! Sorry it's a little short.

Ryan and Michael ended up hanging out a lot. Michael lived in the apartment complex a few blocks from Ryan’s house, and there was plenty of stuff Ryan relished in showing him - restaurants, mostly; they both had huge appetites. After one such night where they had been out at a sports bar, Ryan found himself tugging Michael out to his car. There had been a $2 draft special and Michael had taken full advantage of it, and was now nuzzling up to Ryan as they walked, a warm and heavy weight on his side, but not entirely unwelcome. Not unwelcome at all, actually. 

Ryan had found Michael attractive from the moment he had first laid eyes on him. But he had never been the type to come out and admit to that sort of thing, so he kept quiet. He couldn’t tell if he regretted that decision - on the one hand, he and Michael had become fast friends and started seeing each other pretty often, but on the other, well… they saw each other pretty often. 

At least Michael wasn’t too heavy. His college days were long behind him, but you never really forgot those seemingly endless nights where you were stuck carrying your roommates into bed so they didn’t spend the whole night sleeping on the toilet. 

“Rye, Ryan,” he said. He leaned against Ryan’s car while the man searched for his car keys.

“Hm?” He unlocked the car, glancing up. He swore Michael’s dark eyes glinted and flashed; then he blinked, slowly, and it faded away. 

“I like you. I reeeally like you,” he drawled, leaning forward. Ryan reached out, thinking Michael was about to fall, but all he ended up doing was smashing their lips together in a clumsy kiss, bruising from the force Michael put into it. The younger man’s mouth was warm, soft, and reeked of beer. 

“Um,” Ryan stuttered, leaning back, hands firm on Michael’s shoulders. I - I like you too. But maybe we can do this, uh, later. When you’re not about to fall over.”

Michael huffed. “Fine.” He slowly rounded the car and slid into the passenger side. Ryan didn’t move for a while. Michael caught his eye as a stranger, but he never thought the other man liked him more than platonically. He hadn’t let himself fantasize about a relationship with Michael since, well, he thought there was no way that was happening.

It looked like he was wrong. Maybe. Or Michael was really affectionate when beer-drunk. Versus vodka or whiskey-drunk? Ryan didn’t know how being drunk worked, really.

He eventually got into the car and started to drive back to Michael’s place. While he waited at a stoplight, Michael leaned his head on Ryan’s shoulder, letting out a sigh of contentment. Ryan was content to drive in silence; he still couldn’t help but be endeared by Michael’s behavior, even if it would probably just lead to an incredibly awkward morning after. 

He paused at a stop light, eyes narrowing as he heard something strange.

“Does my engine sound weird to you?” He swore he could feel it thrumming differently, like something had knocked itself loose.

“No,” Michael said. “Sure it’s your ima-gi-nation.” He had to slowly say the last word to not fumble it.

“...Probably right,” Ryan said. The light turned green, and he sped down the road. 

 

-

 

Part of Ryan was resigned that the surprisingly elegant - except when drunk - handsome, funny, uniquely charming Michael that had slowly become a close friend hadn’t actually meant it when he kissed him the night before. When he went most of the day without hearing from him, he hoped that the slip up hadn’t driven him away forever. 

He had come in from mowing the lawn - oh, the fun of weekends of a homeowner - and checked his phone before he hopped in the shower.

There was a missed call from Michael. No texts or voicemail. Ryan called him back, mouth twisting at it rang. 

“Hello?” Michael answered almost immediately.

“Michael, hey. Uh - did you need something?”

“I’m sorry,” Michael said in a rush. “I was kind of drunk. I didn’t mean to kiss you.” Ryan’s heart sank.

“No, no, that’s okay,” he placated. He didn’t want Michael to beat himself up over this. “You could barely stand up straight. I wasn’t expecting you to have been, uh, acting coherently. We can just forget it, if you want.” 

“I - yeah. We could. Just…”

“What?”

“Maybe I was wrong,” Michael said slowly, “but I swore you said that you liked me too. And we could pick up the whole kissing thing later. When I wasn’t drunk.” Ryan opened his mouth, but couldn’t think of what to say. “Unless you were just trying to calm me down, or something.” Michael’s dejection was palpable over the line.

“No! No. I - I meant it. I just didn’t know if  _ you  _ meant it. I didn’t want to bring it up if you didn’t remember, or if you did, but would rather forget it.” 

“I meant what I said,” Michael’s voice gained confidence suddenly. “If you want to, so do I.” 

“Maybe we could date first?”

“That’s not what we’ve been doing?” Michael teased.

“No - now I have to woo you, since I know what’s on the line.” Michael laughed. 

“Alright. When do you feel like wooing me?”

“Tonight? I can take you out somewhere nicer than a sports bar.”

“Hey, nothing wrong with a sports bar.”

“Yeah, but I gotta be  _ impressive.  _ Can I pick you up at seven?”

“I’ll be waiting,” Michael murmured. He hung up, and Ryan was left staring at his phone with an awed expression on his face. He raced to get into the shower, taking extra care to spruce himself up. The guy he had met, and kept running into, became his friend, and was maybe about to become his boyfriend. It was kind of adorable. Like a romcom, he thought to himself. 


	3. Secrets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes I'm back after a small delay. A short but sweet chapter.

Of course, like all romcoms, there was some sort of twist that came up sooner or later. 

“Walk me up?” Michael asked, lips bruised and puffy. They had been parked in front of Michael’s apartment complex for ten minutes. Their handful of dates had been amazing - the ease of their friendship combined with a mutual attraction and, well, giddiness to go further together. Ryan couldn’t do the proper, stoic thing any longer, and he had leaned over and kissed Michael goodnight. Something simple, sweet. 

Which had turned into a deep kiss with teeth that had Michael panting and leaning in for more. And then another eight minutes of making out in a car like high schoolers. And Ryan ran his thumb over Michael's lip, still wet and red.

“Yes, of course,” Ryan breathed out. They both got out of the car, and Ryan spread his arm for Michael to lean up against him as they walked. “Tonight was lovely,” he added.

“Yeah. Kind of don’t want it to end.” 

“Neither do I,” Ryan admitted. Michael sent him a heated look, and pulled him towards him again. 

The younger man fumbled with the lock of his apartment door, mostly focused on kissing Ryan. When they stumbled through the suddenly open doorway, Ryan steered them into the wall so they wouldn’t fall over. He ran his hands up Michael’s arms, cupping his cheeks. He was still wearing a beanie, and without thinking Ryan pushed the hat off Michael’s head, wanting nothing more than to grip at the dark curls he always saw peeking out from under the hats he always wore. 

Michael yelped and jumped away. 

“Shit - did I hurt you?” Michael’s apartment was nearly pitch black, and Ryan fumbled for a light switch by the entryway.

The lights clicked on, making Michael wince. His ears twitched.

_ His ears, which were dark, furry, and at the top of his head, twitched.  _

“I - oh. You’re... a hybrid?” Ryan asked. He even rubbed his eyes. That explained why he always wore hats, he realized belatedly. 

“Surprise,” Michael said dully. 

“Why- why didn’t you tell me?” 

“Did it matter?” Michael asked, glaring at him. His relaxed stance had given way to a stiff type of posturing, like he was daring Ryan to say something he’d regret.

“I’m not the one who hid it,” he said, trying to be gentle.

After an intense staring session, Michael looked down, crossing his arms, frowning at the floor.

“I - where I came from, it’s not easy for hybrids. At all. I saved up and moved out here as soon as I could. And barely anyone sends you a second glance here if you’ve got weird ears or horns or whatever. B-But - I don’t know, I wasn’t ready. And I didn’t know how you felt about, um, hybrids.” 

“I mean - it doesn't matter. I  mean, I have hybrid friends, I work with hybrids, half the people I know here are hybrids. You’ve heard me talk about them -”

“But have you ever dated one?” Michael asked. Ryan stayed silent. “That’s what I thought.” He bent down,picking up his beanie and twisting it in his hands. “A lot of people are _nice_ to people like me, but they'd never want to date one. Or have kids with one due to 'complications', I guess.” He scratched his head, mindful of his ears. “Or there are people who only want to date specific types of hybrids because they're hot.” He made a disgusted noise in the back of his throat. “At least I know you're not in it for the ears and shit.”

“Hey, I may not have ever dated a hybrid, but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t,” Ryan said. “I came from a little town with no hybrids at all. So I didn’t grow up around them but - I moved here for a reason. I didn’t want to spend my whole life somewhere where we all gawked every time someone with a tail passed through for gas. At our one gas station.”

Michael let out a sigh. “I guess.”

“It’s not a big deal to me if it’s not to you.” Ryan persisted. “I still want to be with you. To - keep seeing each other, and see where it goes. I'm not in it for the ears or whatever complications people think can happen - I’m here for you.”

Michael drew closer, still scrutinizing. “Yeah?” 

“Yeah.” 

"You promise?"

"Promise. There's nothing wrong with you, you've just got some different parts of you."

Michael scoffed, not unkindly. "I know that."

"And so do I. Let me prove it to you. Please?" 

Michael edged closer, still scrutinizing Ryan as he went. He stuffed his beanie in his back pocket, and, standing chest to chest, he dared himself up on his tip toes, kissing Ryan again. 

This kiss was softer, the heat of earlier gone. But when Ryan wrapped his arms around Michael, he heard the other let out another small sigh, a smile against his lips… 

And a strange rumbling coming from his throat.

“S-so, uh, you’re a cat hybrid right?” Ryan whispered.

“Yeah, nothing special. Can see in the dark better than you, though. And stronger nails. And teeth.” He grinned. Ryan  _ had  _ thought his teeth were a bit sharp looking...

“No tail?”

“I - uh. Don’t have one. Or I kind of have a little stump. It’s one of my traits. No one chopped it off or anything, don't look at me like that." Ryan schooled his face - he didn't know how he could have reacted if Michael had his tail  _cut off._ He managed to hold back a sigh of relief, glancing up at Michael's ears, dark brown and a little brassy, just like his hair. He couldn't believe he hadn't noticed, but Michael's curls were long enough to hide where his human ears would have been, and the hats, lack of a noticeable tail... He still couldn't believe he didn't notice the  _purring_ until now.

“And you can purr,” he added.

Michael, to his surprise, blushed. “I guess I can, yeah.”

“There’s no guess. You just were.” 

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” He said in a rush. “Did you want to make out for the next hour or what? I can still kick you out.” Ryan chuckled, delighting at how Michael's ears twitched and rotated at the sound of his voice. 

“I’d be happy to stay.” Michael looked over his shoulder.

“Before that. Can you, uh, shut the door? And take the keys out of the lock?” Ryan sheepishly did as he asked, glancing out into the hallway of the apartment. Hopefully no one had seen their exchange. When he turned back and put the keys on the kitchen counter, Michael was already on the couch, beckoning him over with shining eyes, and a smug smile on his face, like the cat who caught the canary. 

Ryan found he didn't mind being looked at like that. Not at all. 


End file.
